The Grateful Dead played their first concert on December 10, 1965, at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, CA. This mural was painted on a wall in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood where the Dead pioneered the psychedelic sound with other local artists such as the Jefferson Airplane and Janis Joplin.9601280

The Grateful Dead played their first concert on December 10, 1965, at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, CA. This mural was painted on a wall in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood where the Dead pioneered the psychedelic sound with other local artists such as the Jefferson Airplane and Janis Joplin.

The Dead were renowned for amazing live performances. Strangely, the biggest musical festival of the 1960s ' Woodstock ' was not one of them. The Dead played under harrowing weather conditions and were literally shocked by their own instruments. 9601280

The Dead were renowned for amazing live performances. Strangely, the biggest musical festival of the 1960s ' Woodstock ' was not one of them. The Dead played under harrowing weather conditions and were literally shocked by their own instruments.

iStockphoto

The concert hastily organized by the Rolling Stones in December 1969 at Altamont Speedway (pictured here in a recent photo) proved to be another disaster for the Dead. The band was scheduled to perform, but declined to play due to the increasing violence spawned by the Hell's Angels who were hired to provide "security" at the venue.9601280

The concert hastily organized by the Rolling Stones in December 1969 at Altamont Speedway (pictured here in a recent photo) proved to be another disaster for the Dead. The band was scheduled to perform, but declined to play due to the increasing violence spawned by the Hell's Angels who were hired to provide "security" at the venue.

In 1974, the Dead embarked on a tour that featured a revolutionary sound system made up of hundreds of stacked speakers called the 'Wall of Sound.' The tour kicked off on March 23, 1974, at the Cow Palace in Daly City, CA.9601280

In 1974, the Dead embarked on a tour that featured a revolutionary sound system made up of hundreds of stacked speakers called the 'Wall of Sound.' The tour kicked off on March 23, 1974, at the Cow Palace in Daly City, CA.

The Grateful Dead's show at Cornell University's Barton Hall on May 8, 1977, is considered by many aficionados to be perhaps their greatest performance ever. The show became legendary after an audience member's tape and a high-quality soundboard recording began circulating among fans.9601280

The Grateful Dead's show at Cornell University's Barton Hall on May 8, 1977, is considered by many aficionados to be perhaps their greatest performance ever. The show became legendary after an audience member's tape and a high-quality soundboard recording began circulating among fans.

The Grateful Dead performed several times at Colorado's unique Red Rocks open-air amphitheater that appears as if it were carved out of a mountain. This photo of guitarist Jerry Garcia and drummer Mickey Hart was taken in 1987.9601280

The Grateful Dead performed several times at Colorado's unique Red Rocks open-air amphitheater that appears as if it were carved out of a mountain. This photo of guitarist Jerry Garcia and drummer Mickey Hart was taken in 1987.

Thousands of Grateful Dead fans gather at a memorial erected to the memory of deceased Grateful Dead leader Jerry Garcia at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park on August 13, 1995.9601280

Thousands of Grateful Dead fans gather at a memorial erected to the memory of deceased Grateful Dead leader Jerry Garcia at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park on August 13, 1995.

Reuters

Deadheads dance during an August 3, 2002, concert at Wisconsin's Alpine Valley Music Center featuring the 4 surviving members of the Grateful Dead performing as "The Other Ones." It was the first time they had performed together since the death of guitarist Jerry Garcia in 1995. 9601280

Deadheads dance during an August 3, 2002, concert at Wisconsin's Alpine Valley Music Center featuring the 4 surviving members of the Grateful Dead performing as "The Other Ones." It was the first time they had performed together since the death of guitarist Jerry Garcia in 1995.